1st Round Pick (15 overall): Devin Mesoraco, Catcher, High School

[Blitz Dorsey]

I think he will start out with the GCL Reds in low rookie ball and will probably play the rest of the summer there. Hopefully he tears it up and they move him up to Billings for a little bit -- that would be a great sign. They play some good baseball in Billings.

[Benihana]

Its official, he's in the fold.

http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/redsinsider/

[Blitz Dorsey]

As for the Tommy John surgery, a lot of pitchers say it actually gives them more life on their fastball. And they are abusing their arms much more than catchers. I don't think it's that bad of a thing for a catcher to have TJ surgery. I would be more concerned if he had a shoulder injury or something like that. Sounds like his arm is actually better than ever.

But I do understand it's not good to have surgery this young because you want the arm to hold up over time. But he sounds like a kid who will take good care of it and will work out hard. And he will no longer be a pitcher! He hurt his arm in summer ball pitching, I believe. As just a catcher, he won't put nearly as much stress on his arm as he would have as a pitcher. I continue to love this pick very much. It's about time the organization addressed what has been a dismal situation at catcher for years.

[bucksfan2]

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As for the Tommy John surgery, a lot of pitchers say it actually gives them more life on their fastball. And they are abusing their arms much more than catchers. I don't think it's that bad of a thing for a catcher to have TJ surgery. I would be more concerned if he had a shoulder injury or something like that. Sounds like his arm is actually better than ever.

I had heard a few years ago that some people were saying all young pitchers should get Tommy John because it strengthens their arm. I also thought that once you had that surgery that your arm comes back stronger than before. I dont really see this as a problem at all.

[redsmetz]

Is it just me or is this the quietest Reds draft signing anyone's ever seen?

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by redsmetz

Is it just me or is this the quietest Reds draft signing anyone's ever seen?

I agree completely. He signed yesterday right? Nothing on Reds.com to suggest it at all.

[11larkin11]

Nothing from C. Trent either. Marc was always on the ball, CTR seems to post everything when he posts his game threads.

[Blitz Dorsey]

C. Trent miss deadline.

See Trent not tell us anything new.

See Trent run.

[redsmetz]

Well, the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper is reporting it:

SARASOTA, Fla. - Former PAHS baseball player Devin Mesoraco traveled to Sarasota, Fla. to officially sign with the Cincinnati Reds Thursday. To start his career with the Reds, he will play for the Sarasota Reds in the Gulf Coast League.
The GCL's season began Tuesday, and Mesoraco is expected to receive his first game action as a pro at the start of next week.

[reds44]

From the Reds:

CINCINNATI - The Cincinnati Reds today signed top draft pick C Devin Mesoraco (6-2, 200, R-R) of Punxsutawney (PA) Area High School. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Mesoraco, 18, was selected by the Reds with the 15th pick overall in the opening round of Major League Baseball’s June first-year player draft. He will be assigned to the Gulf Coast League's Sarasota Reds.

"Devin is a little better athlete than you normally get at that position. It is a hard position to fill in the majors and in the minors, so we're pleased to find a catcher who is such a good athlete with such good makeup," said senior director of scouting Chris Buckley. "He runs well, and he's a good thrower. We're very thrilled to have him."

Mesoraco this season hit .467 with 4 HR, 21 RBI, a .632 on-base percentage and a .911 slugging percentage. He was the Gatorade Player of the Year for Pennsylvania and was ranked by Baseball America as one of the best prospects in the country.

He holds Punxsutawney High career records for walks (91), runs scored (122), hits (101), doubles (25), home runs (18) and stolen bases (35) and PHS single-season records for walks (31 in 2007) and runs scored (40 in 2005).

He is just the third catcher ever taken by the Reds with their top draft pick (Dan LaMar in 1979, Dan Wilson in 1990).

[OnBaseMachine]

Red sign first-round pick Mesoraco
High school catcher finishes season, inks deal with Cincy
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com

SEATTLE -- Once a certain major issue was hurdled, it didn't take long for catcher and first-round pick Devin Mesoraco to sign with the Reds.

First, he had to graduate from high school.

"Devin didn't graduate until [last] Friday and he was still playing," Reds scouting director Chris Buckley said. "So we were taking our time."

Rules prohibit players from signing while still in school. The deal was finalized and announced on Friday after Mesoraco passed his physical.

Taken 15th overall in the 2007 First Year Player Draft on June 7, Mesoraco starred behind the plate for Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney High School. He will immediately report to the Reds' Gulf Coast League affiliate in Sarasota, Fla.

The contract is a Minor League deal with terms of Mesoraco's likely seven-figure bonus not revealed by the Reds.

Mesoraco, who turned 19 on Tuesday, had a scholarship waiting at the University of Virginia to fall back on as potential leverage for a better deal but said on Draft day he wanted to join the Reds. He should benefit from signing quickly rather than sitting out as negotiations dragged on through the summer.

"That helps a lot," Buckley said by phone from Florida. "That first year for anyone, even college players, is a transitional year. There are wooden bats. Instead of playing three times a week, you're playing five or six times a week. He'll go from Pennsylvania to the humidity of Florida and play every day.

"It's good to get that first year behind you."

A 6-foot-1, 195 pounder that bats right-handed, Mesoraco participated in the Pennsylvania high school state tournament. He finished his high school career batting .467 with four homers, 21 RBIs, a .632 on-base percentage and a .911 slugging percentage. He was named his state's Gatorade Player of the Year.

"He did very well and had a terrific season, as did his team," Buckley said. "We're happy to have him."

Mesoraco was the first catcher taken in the first round by Cincinnati since Dan Wilson in 1990.

The Reds made 50 picks in the Draft and have signed close to 30 of them. New rules set an Aug. 15 deadline to sign selected players or the team's rights would be lost. That effectively ended the practice of "draft and following" players.

"We're almost finished," Buckley said.

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/...=.jsp&c_id=cin

[harangatang]

I like the idea that the Reds realize they have other depth problems besides pitching. The catching position has the least depth in the Reds minor leagues so it encourages me they are at least attempting to address it.

[Az. Reds Fan]

"We're almost finished," Buckley said.

I sure hope they're not almost finished...

We've still got 2 sup. picks left (Frazier, Lotzkar), number 2 (Cozart), 3 (Carroll), 4 (Stouffer) and Number 8 (O'Neill) unsigned.

Mabey he means these guys are just about locked up...I hope.

[dougdirt]

Well if they sign those guys its probably the last of the guys that they will be able to sign.

[HokieRed]

Az. Fan doesn't mention Hildenbrandt. Is something going on with him? I hope we sign him; from watching all the available videos, I think he's the best prospect in the lot. Obviously that's limited evidence, but he throws low 90's with very little effort.